Real Athlete Blog Contributors
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Matthew Allinson
Founder & C.E.O. of Access Athletes, LLC, Trusted Athlete Educator, and Chief Editor of The Real Athlete Blog
As the Founder & CEO of Access Athletes, LLC and The Real Athlete Blog, Matthew Allinson's mission in life is to help athletes realize their full potential.
Matthew graduated from Penn State University first in his class with a double major in Labor Studies and Industrial Relations and Psychology. Following graduation, he spent a year in Kingston, Jamaica researching labor relations and political unionism as a Fulbright Scholar. Matthew then attended The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he obtained his J.D. with a concentration in labor law, intellectual property law, and sports and entertainment law.
He has worked for the NFL Players Association and several prominent sports professionals.
Matthew also works as a labor and entertainment attorney representing journalists.Contact |
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Dr. Timothy Thompson
Communications, Marketing, and Team Building Specialist; General Athlete Advice
Dr. Tim Thompson (“Dr. T”) is C.E.O. of the Institute of Applied Human Relations, LLC, and Vice President of Educational Programs for Access Athletes, LLC. He has a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication, along with a broad range of leadership and advisement experience in advertising/public relations/ media relations, media management, and organizational development. He is a third degree black belt in the Chinese internal martial art of Tai Chi Chuan (Grand Ultimate Fist) under Grand Master Dennis Brown, and is the head Tai Chi Chuan instructor at the Largo campus of the Dennis Brown Shaolin Wu Shu Training Centers in the Washington, DC area. Additionally, Dr. T is a Kundalini Reiki practitioner whose counseling/healing work focuses on self-transformation, interpersonal/group dynamics, organizational cultures, team-building, and leadership development.
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Wesley Mallette
Sports and Entertainment Communications Executive
Wesley Mallette is a seasoned sports and entertainment marketing communications executive specializing in the areas of reputation and crisis management, media training, media relations, sponsorship management, and business development. Throughout the course of his 20-year career, the veteran public relations strategist has translated his passion for his chosen profession into proven results for his clients, successfully guiding them through challenging and often times career-threatening situations.
Mallette's achievements in his profession are numerous. In 2005, he played an integral role in the development and execution of a communications strategy for the National Basketball Players Association’s (NBPA) collective bargaining agreement renegotiation, effectively helping avert an NBA season-ending lock out. He has developed and executed multiple high-profile public relations campaigns for several of USA Swimming's premier athletes (including 2008 Gold Medalist Cullen Jones), provided spokesperson training for more than 20 Olympians serving as athlete ambassadors for Chicago 2016’s bid to win the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, and engineered the strategic approach for 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and world-class cyclist Tyler Hamilton’s controversial retirement from the sport in 2009. Mallette has also assisted with the broadcast training of Olympic Gold Medalist and USA Track & Field icon, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and has media trained NCAA athletes and NBA, WNBA, NFL, and professional cycling teams and players.
Along with his work in professional, collegiate and Olympic sports, Mallette has developed top-notch marketing communications programs for some of the nation’s highest profile companies. Before launching his own practice in 2005, he spent 15 years on the corporate and agency side, serving as Vice President of Corporate Communications for MTV Networks, Director of Communications for Black Entertainment Television, Inc., and Senior Manager Media Relations for the Limited Brands’ Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works. In addition, Mallette helped build and direct the event marketing and PR department for Carol H. Williams Advertising. Early in his career he worked for Ketchum Communications and credits his tenure with the Children Defense Fund (the nation’s most respected child advocacy organization) for his experience in public policy and coalition building.
Mallette holds a BA in Communications from James Madison University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Maryland. The former two-sport Division I athlete (football and track and field) now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area where he runs his own sports and entertainment marketing communications firm and serves on the Public Relations Society of America's (PRSA) Work, Life and Gender Committee. Always an active member in the community, Mallette spends time with his family as well as coaching youth and high school football, baseball and basketball.
You can find him on Twitter @WesleyMallette and gain more insight on his skilled approach to and perspective on crisis and reputation management issues. Mallette can be reached at wesleymallette@gmail.com or 310-562-2821.Contact |
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Visit the contributor's website: http://bit.ly/amgyRd
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Jason Krump
Communications Manager for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Washington State University
Jason G. Krump is the Communications Manager for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at Washington State University and has over a decade of experience in the collegiate and professional athletic communication fields. He earned his Bachelor in Arts in Communication at Washington State University and Master of Science in Physical Education at Eastern Washington University.
An avid writer and fitness enthusiast, Jason has published a book "Identification of Athletes by Athletes at a Division I University: Gauging the media’s role in their identification," and his stories have earned honors in the Writer’s Digest National Writing Competition.
Jason has run in Bloomsday, a 12 kilometer road race held annually in Spokane, Wash., and has worked in a media relations capacity at major sporting events including the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, Kentucky Derby, NCAA Basketball Championships, Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl.Contact |
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Visit the contributor's website: http://www.WSUCougars.com
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Allison Collinger
Sports Charity Consultant, AHC Consulting LLC
Founded by Allison Collinger, AHC Consulting LLC provides strategic communications, social media, branding, planning, training and facilitation services to a variety of clients. Current and past clients include: American Camp Association, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Circus Harmony, Coro Leadership Center, Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation, GO! St. Louis, Major League Baseball, the St. Louis Rams and Rams Foundation, The Sports Philanthropy Project and The Youth and Family Center.
Prior to the formation of AHC Consulting, Collinger served as the director of corporate communications and community outreach for the St. Louis Rams – overseeing the Rams community outreach team, the Rams Foundation and the team’s off the field public relations initiatives. Her leadership helped to create a unique brand of strategic sports philanthropy – including the formation of Healthy Youth Partnership, a collaborative of more than 75 organizations addressing the issue of childhood obesity.
From 1989 to 1997 she was an award winning public relations professional at Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. During her tenure at Fleishman-Hillard, she played a role in the approval and opening of the Edward Jones Dome, the Kiel Center and the MetroLink light rail system. Her work has been recognized with several national awards – three Silver Anvils, the highest award bestowed on public relations programs by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and a CIPRA for creativity in public relations. In 2001, she was named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s Forty Under Forty, a list of accomplished individuals under 40.
In addition to her professional involvement, she was a founder of the Diversity Awareness Partnership and serves on the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri President’s Advisory Board, the boards of the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, and the National Council of Jewish Women’s Community Advisory Board. She speaks regularly at local and national seminars on communication strategies, sports philanthropy, special events, and fundraising and gives freely of her time to counsel young people who are seeking career advice.
Collinger holds a B.A. from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, is a former Coro Fellow in Public Affairs and a graduate of the 1996-1997 Leadership St. Louis program. She resides with her family in Richmond Heights.Contact |
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Visit the contributor's website: http://ahcconsulting.org
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Eileen Wisnewski
Athlete Career Development Specialist
Eileen Wisnewski has always been passionate about helping college athletes with their career development, and has over 13 years of experience as a career advisor. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and a Master’s Degree in Leadership Studies from the University of Southern Maine. As Access Athlete's Athlete Career Development Specialist, she uses sporting news stories and quotes as a springboard for reflection on career development advice.
Eileen is currently the Associate Director for Employer Relations, Engagement & Outreach in the Office of Career Services at Providence College (Go Friars!) She helps to connect PC students and alumni with internship and employment opportunities in addition to offering career development advice.
Prior to this, she worked for ten years in a similar role in the Office of Career Services at Bates College in Maine. During this time, she partnered with coaches and alumni to better understand the challenges student athletes face in preparing for their careers and life after college sports. She respects the amount of time a committed athlete must invest in their sport to be successful, and recognizes that this investment can affect one's ability to devote time to their career development. Her goal is to help athletes realize the strengths they develop while competing in their sport and how many employers are looking for those strengths.Contact |
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Richard Burgunder
Track & Field Contributor
Richard Burgunder is a professional extreme and adventure sports athlete focusing on the XTERRA Trail Running Global Tour. Rich has over 15 years of experience competing on the national and international level as a consistent top finisher, age-group winner, and featured athlete in world-class athletic events, gaining extensive media publicity. Most notably, Rich is a proud member of PowerBar Team Elite, XTERRA Ambassadors, SUGOI Brand Champions, and the nationally ranked New Balance Central Park Track Club (CPTC), a USATF Elite Development Team based in New York City. Previously, Rich has also been a member of Team Compex, Team MGD 64, Team USA for Standard Chartered Bank’s Greatest Race on Earth in Nairobi, Kenya, and a two-time qualifying member of Team USA for the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Long Course Duathlon World Championships in Barcis, Italy and Fredercia, Denmark, respectively. Rich has competed in Kenya, Japan, and throughout most of the USA, including Hawaii, on several occasions.
Rich is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and has extensive business experience in New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metro area, and Naples, FL since graduating from Penn State University, University Park, in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. In addition to being a competitive elite athlete, Rich is the Managing Director & Founder of Extremus, LLC, a global sports consulting and marketing firm specializing in the endurance, adventure and extreme sports industries. Rich is also a certified USATF Level 1 Coach and the Track & Field contributor at Access Athletes.Contact |
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Justin Sievert
Amateurism and Sports Law
Justin P. Sievert is a contributing writer for Access Athletes on issues relating to NCAA student-athletes, in addition to commentary on general issues in sports law. Mr. Sievert serves of-counsel to the Michael L. Buckner Law Firm on issues relating to intercollegiate athletics and higher-education law. Mr. Sievert also is also an adjunct sports law, business law and labor law professor at Davenport University. His prior experience includes stints at NCAA Division I, II and III institutions, where he has worked in compliance, business operations, event management and facility operations. In addition, Mr. Sievert served as a track and field coach and strength and conditioning coach at the collegiate level.
Mr. Sievert is a 2008 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law where he served as vice-president of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society, treasurer of the Business Law Council and was a member of the International Moot Court Board. Prior to law school, Mr. Sievert attended Union College, where he graduated in 2003 with a political science degree. During his time at Union, Mr. Sievert was a captain of both the football team (where he was a two-time all-conference selection) and the track and field team (where he was a three-time All-American and NCAA Regional Track and Field Athlete of the Year as a senior). Mr. Sievert also received his Master’s degree in Education from St. Lawrence University in 2005.
Mr. Sievert is admitted to practice in Florida and North Carolina, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Mr. Sievert is a strong proponent of educating athletes at all experience levels and will work diligently at addressing any issues that may arise during the course of an athlete's career in his column. If anyone has a suggested topic, please feel free to contact him.Contact |
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Joe Jackman
Brand Expert; Founder & President, remBrand Sports
Joe Jackman founded remBrand Sports in 2004, leaving the corporate world to follow his passion; to make authentic, meaningful contributions in helping his high profile clients - professional athletes, elite executives and entrepreneurs - be remembered™.
His distinctive cross-functional leadership perspective and expertise has been acquired by working with 'Fortune 500 Companies' & the 'Big 4 Sports Leagues'.
Joe pioneered and built the revolutionary - National Hockey League's Alumni "Life After Hockey Transition Program" and the NHLPA Breakaway Program for active players (a 6-year exclusive partnership). These experiences give him a hard-to-match Change & Brand Management perspective with unique insights into the Employment Life Cycle of professional athletes and elite executives.
RemBrand Sports' proprietary 'Game of Life' solutions help bridge the gap between great and legendary, by developing a brand that stands the test of time, ensuring a lifetime of success!Contact |
Visit the contributor's website: http://www.rembrandsports.com
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Scott Kaminsky
Vice President - Wealth Management Services, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Your dream was to one day retire and do what you wanted, when you wanted to, for the rest of your life. Now, with economic uncertainty surrounding you, those dreams become a concern. Too often there is a disconnect between the Financial Advisor and the client and bridging that gap through meaningful, prudent communication is the primary goal of Scott J. Kaminsky, CFP®. It was because of this known disconnect that Scott was instrumental in releasing the copyrighted study “5 Biggest Challenges Facing Professional Athletes.”
Scott is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional, Vice President and Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Over the past 15 years, Scott has helped navigate the High Net Worth Community through two economic recessions. It is because of this, as well as his attention to client service, that has allowed Scott to been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine in 2009, 2010 and 2011 as a 5-Star Wealth Advisor*.
In November of 2011, Scott was appointed as an Ambassador to the CFP® Board out of Washington D.C. As the Ambassador to the Philadelphia Region, Scott serves as a liaison to local media on various financial topics as well as assisting his community on financial literacy.
Prior to starting his career in the Financial Services Industry, Scott was a Public Accountant with focus in the areas of Audit and Taxation.
Scott resides in Lower Merion Pennsylvania with his wife Lisa, daughter Alexa and son Brandon.
*Five Star Professional, as a third-party research firm, administers a survey, by mail and phone, to 1 in 4 high-net-worth households and registered financial services representatives to evaluate the wealth managers in a metropolitan areaContact |
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Matt Ramer
Second Vice President, Wealth Advisory Services, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Consider the three most important things in your life, or the three things most important to the charitable institution you represent. Chances are that in some way, money is related to being able to provide for these three pillars.
And thus, in the simplest terms, our purpose is to provide prudent
deployment of financial planning and risk management through education,
discipline, and common sense.
We recognize that charitable organizations face a unique set of challenges, concerns and rules regarding investing and planning. The KR Group works intensely to make sure clients do not engage in levels of risk they do not fully understand. As well the KR Group works diligently to ensure their clients and their clients? donors are well informed regarding relevant changes to legislation and planned giving.
Reflected in his passion for the support and well-being of others, Matthew has logged over 1300 hours of volunteer work between 2008 and 2009
through various organizations. He supports Low Income Families, preparing
tax returns, Young-Adult Cancer Survivors serving on the Finance
Committee of The SAM Fund, and as a pilot for Angel Flight which transport
patients in need of medical care whom other wise may not have appropriate
medical access.
Matthew has achieved the rank of Captain with the Civil Air Patrol; US Air Force Auxiliary. He is also a National Search and Rescue Flight Instructor. Matthew is also a member of Sports Financial Advisors Association.Contact |
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Anna Stefano
Athlete Interviews
Anna Stefano is graduating from Penn State University in May with a Bachelor of the Arts in Broadcast Journalism, and minors in Kinesiology and English. She is a member of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism which offers a curriculum focused on sports and athletics.
Anna is a writer for jetsfan.com, a scouting website for the New York Jets. She provides in depth analysis of games, and assesses players in the NFL draft.
Anna worked as an intern at Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia where she assisted in the marketing and promotion of CSN Philly, and the professional and collegiate teams in Philadelphia. She aided in designing a marketing plan for the television show Philly Sports Classics, and was involved in social media endeavors.
During her time at Penn State, Anna has interned with the Penn State Athletic Association Marketing Department. She has been involved in promoting games and planning events such as Blue and White Weekend.
Anna is passionate about sports and journalism, and aspires to be a sports broadcaster.Contact |
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Cory Dobbs, Ed.D.
Founder and President of The Academy for Sport Leadership
Cory Dobbs is the Founder and President of The Academy for Sport Leadership, a national leader in curriculum development and programs for developing sports team leaders. The Academy offers to the student-athlete a defined program for becoming a high-performing team leader.
Cory started The Academy for Sport Leadership in 2007 based on the principle that coaches are leadership educators. He is convinced that leadership is an impact area for sports teams and that leadership development should be part of the student-athlete’s educational experience.
Cory has over 15 years experience in leadership development and team facilitation. He blends business practice with learning and development. Today, he spends his time writing articles related to leadership and organizational life, developing leadership tools and processes, and consulting with coaches and athletic directors helping them apply his principles with their teams.
A former basketball coach, Cory's coaching background includes experience at the NCAA DII, NJCAA, and high school levels of competition. While coaching, he researched and developed the transformative "Becoming a Team Leader" program for student-athletes. Cory has worked with professional athletes, collegiate athletic programs and high schools teaching leadership as a part of the sports experience and education process.
Cory also teaches a wide-range of leadership workshops, seminars, and classes for professional organizations. He is the author of "Exploring Conversational Learning" and "Scrimmage! Build Your Team in Five Practices" and currently teaches courses on leadership and change for the Graduate Schools of Business and Education as an adjunct professor in the Graduate Colleges of Business and Education at Northern Arizona University.Contact |
Visit the contributor's website: http://www.sportleadership.com
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Kanika Corley
Legal Expert
Kanika Corley is an associate attorney with Sedgwick LLP, based in the Los Angeles office. Kanika’s practice focuses on the representation of major media, entertainment and advertising entities in the areas of copyright and trademark infringement litigation. She has experience negotiating and drafting intellectual property agreements, as well as registering, policing and protecting trademarks and copyrights. Kanika can be reached at 213.426.6900.
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Visit the contributor's website: http://www.sdma.com/kanika-d-corley/
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Michelle Hill
Strong Copy Quarterback, Winning Proof
Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. She writes website content, sales/client letters, media pitch letters, and brochures for sports and fitness-related companies. Her mission is to help pro athletes and fitness professionals increase the success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with her writing expertise and creative turn of mind.
She is seeking to contribute fresh insight into the world of athletes, especially as they transition from their sport into "real" life and intends to bring a new perspective through interviews with athletes from different sports.
info@winningproof.com
714-797-3731Contact |
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Visit the contributor's website: http://www.winningproof.com
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Buddy Biancalana
Co-Founder of PMPM Sports
Buddy Biancalana is co-founder of PMPM Sports. As a 1st round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals, Buddy played Major League Baseball with the Royals and Houston Astros. As the starting shortstop for the 1985 World Champion Royals, he received the highest number of MVP votes of any position player. His notoriety was catapulted by appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman" and "The Today Show." After retiring from Major League Baseball, Buddy served as a Minor League Infield Coordinator for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization as well as a Minor League Manager for Tampa Bay and the Philadelphia Phillies. He has instructed or managed many players, who have gone on to play in the Major Leagues.
He will be sharing knowledge applicable to any age athlete in any sport to assist them in accessing their full potential especially under pressure.Contact |
Visit the contributor's website: http://zonetraining.net
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Steven Yellin
President/Co-Founder of PMPM Sports
Steven Yellin is President and co-founder of PMPM Sports. He has been teaching tennis and golf for over 30 years and is responsible for developing the innovative and powerful drills that PMPM Sports uses that help athletes in all sports to reach their full potential. Steven was the Florida High School state tennis champion, and went on to play number one singles on the University of Pennsylvania tennis team. He was a member of the All-Ivy League tennis team in 1973, played in the 1973 NCAA National Championship, and was invited to play on the 1972 Israeli Davis Cup team. Steven also holds two masters degrees in Business and Education.
He will be sharing knowledge applicable to any age athlete in any sport to assist them in accessing their full potential especially under pressure.Contact |
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Visit the contributor's website: http://zonetraining.net
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Chrissy Carew
Founder and Head Coach, Insightful Player, LLC
Chrissy Carew is a Personal and Business Coach and Trainer. She is an International Coach Federation Master Certified Coach. She coaches high integrity professional football players to maximize performance on and off the field. She also works with trailblazers who have an indomitable will and are relentless in their pursuit of elevating the world to awe-inspiring heights. She inspires her clients to wholeheartedly embrace their gifts and ferociously share them with others.
Carew is on a mission to make this world a better place and has launched the Insightful Player™ campaign, a platform that features high-integrity people such as current and former NFL players, who are passionate about inspiring their fans, especially kids. The Insightful Player™ campaign is a bold movement of hope that is fusing together the heart and soul of the players with their fans to become one. Carew is writing a book entitled Insightful Player™, Inspiring stories about NFL Good Guys!
Coach Carew will share uplifting stories about NFL Players who have overcame tremendous obstacles to become not just fine athletes, but extraordinary individuals that serve as an inspiration to us all. She will also share a wide range of coaching tips on how to live your very best life.Contact |
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Visit the contributor's website: http://www.insightfulplayer.com
